Despite their respective disabilities, equestrians Kirsty Anderson and Alexander (Sandy) Mitchell embark upon the 12th Paralympic Games determined to produce their best for Bermuda.

The Island's lone participants in the ten-day meet for the physically disabled in Athens realise it may be their final competition at the highest level and therefore wish to make it their best.

It's Anderson's third Paralympics and the 32-year-old's aim is to achieve a personal best and score over 60 percent in her test.

“I've improved in every competition I have gone to which is great. Some of my rivals are full-time athletes who ride Grand Prix horses and are funded by national lotteries whereas for me it's just a hobby.

“When you have differences like that you can't compete against someone who is doing it every day, all day. I don't believe I'll be a medal contender but I think I can do better than before,” said the horsewoman who qualified for the Paralympics at last year's World Championships for Disabled Riders in Belgium.

Paralympians - unlike their equestrian peers in the Olympics - only compete in dressage with competitors judged in one of four grades based on their disability with the most disabled in grade one and the least disabled in grade four.

Anderson, who was born without a left arm, is in grade four while Mitchell, who suffers from cerebral palsy, will compete in grade one.

“Most of my fellow competitors are single amputees or have muscular disabilities whereas the people in Sandy's grade are similarly disabled to him,” explained Anderson, an assistant vice-president at Scottish Re.

Each grade has a different dressage test, again according to riders' disability. Mitchell, for example, will just have to walk his horse while Anderson's test includes walking, trotting, cantering and half pirouettes. Medals are awarded in each grade.

Anderson, who carried the Island's flag in last Friday's opening ceremony for 3,480 athletes from 136 nations, competes on Wednesday and Friday. Her 60-year-old compatriot, Mitchell, rides tomorrow and Thursday. Both have warm-up tests today.

Apart from training here for the Games, Anderson - who has also ridden in three World Championships - spent two weeks working out in Wales in mid-August with her mount Higham Fanfare which was shipped over from England for her use in Greece.

For the first time ever, paralympians have been allowed to bring their own horses to the Games. Previously, riders borrowed horses “so that everyone was on equal ground”.

However, the Greeks do not have a history of being involved in equestrian so paralympians were permitted to bring their own mounts with the Greek Olympic Committee paying for the horses to be flown from Europe to Athens.